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GAR STEP.

No. 459,169. Patented Sept. 8, 1891.

UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY C. FARQUHARSON, OF NFV YORK, N. Y.

CAR-STEP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,169, datedSeptember 8, 1891.

Serial No. 377,104. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HENRY C. FARQUHARsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and State of New York, have invented an Improvementin Railway-(Jar Steps, of which the followingis a specification.

Railway trains are frequently provided with swinging gates at the endsof the platform, and in addition to these swinging gates a movableplatform or trap is applied over the steps to adapt the platform to thereception of excursionists, so that the platform can be used as a placeof observation in traveling.

In my present invention I have combined with the swinging gate a movablestep, whereby the movable step is lowered when the gate is opened and itis drawn up when the gate is closed, and I provide for locking themovable step and unlocking it automatically and in harmony with themovements of the gate.

In the drawings, Figure lis a diagrammatic representation of thecar-steps, platform, and swinging gate. Fig. 2 is a plan view showingthe direction of motion ofthe repective parts; and Fig. 3 is anelevation of the car-steps, partially broken open for showing therespective parts. Fig. l is an elevation of the latch for the swinginggate. l

A portion of the platform and end sill of the car are represented at A,and B indicates the movable trap or platform, hinged at 2, so that itmay be swung up to allow parties to ascend or descend the steps, andwhen swung down it forms a continuation of the car-platform.

At C the end guard of the car is represented, the same being upon theend sill. of the platform, and this may be of any usual charac ter. Itis represented as of lattice-work with the middle portion removed, assuch end guard is generally about three feet high. The gate D issimilarly repsesented, and it is to be of any desired construction, andthe vertical shaft or axis jforms one side of the gate and it issupported in the bearings 4l, and this lower end passes through the endsill of the platform and is provided with an arm 5, which is in the sameplane, or nearly so, as the gate.

The stationary steps E are represented as provided with side piecesF ofanyusual construction, and the movable step G has the side bars IIpermanently connected therewith and passing through the stationaryguides or supports I upon the side pieces of the steps, and there is alifting-bar K connected with the movable step G, preferablyin the middleand at the back thereof, and such bar is united to the arm 5 by the cordor rope L, passing around the pulleys G, 7, and 8, so that when the gateD is being closed the arm 5, drawing upon the rope Il, raises up theliftingbar K and the bottom movable step G, and when the gate is swungopen the arm 5 lowers the rope or chain L and lifting-bar K and movablestep G into the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. l, thus causingthemovable step to be operated by the opening and closing of the gate D.

The before described parts may be used alone; but it is usuallypreferable to insure parallelism in the movement of the step and sidepieces by employing a cross-shaft M,with slotted arms N upon the endsthereof and pins O in the upper ends of the side pieces II of themovable step, so that this shaft M is partially turned as the step ismoved up or down and the parallelism of the motion is thereby insured. Ialso make use of suitable spring-latches P to enter notches in the sidebars ll of the movable step, and these spring-latches are actuatedsimultaneously by any suitable means.

I have shown a cross-shaft Q and arms R passing into notches upon thespring-latches. The cross-shaft, spring-latches, and arms representedare not my invention, but they are adapted to hold the step when raisedby hand or when drawn up by the closing of the gate; but I combine withthe latches an automatic mechanism actuated by the swinging gate,whereby the latches are withdrawn immediately before the movable step islowered. To effect this object, suitable lever connections are made tothe campiece S, over which the gate D moves, the lower barof the gatebeing preferably beneath a stationary bar T and above the cam-piece S,so that such cam-piece will be depressed as the gate is closed and alsoas it` is opened, and this cam-piece S is represented as upon a verticalbar hinged at its lower end to the lever U, that is pivoted at 10, andthere is an intermeliliate lever V and IGC a latch-moving lever WVpivoted at 1l, the lower end of which is adjacent to one of the latchesP, so that when the gate is opened the bottom bar of the gate depressesthe campiece S and through the system of levers forces back thespring-latches by moving the arms R and cross-shaft Q so that the sidepieces of the movable step are liberated and the step commences todescend and it is lowered by the opening of a gate, and in closing thegate the last portion of the movement of the gate depresses thecam-piece S, and then such cam-piece is free to rise by the action ofthe spring S upon the latches, as such latches are forced into positionin holding the movable step in its elevated position; but it ispreferable to employ a separate spring for raising the cam-piece S. Thisspring may be of any desired character.

I have shown a spring acting beneath the cam-piece, and it will beapparent that this campiece acts as a spring-latch in holding the gatein its closed position, because the gate cannot be opened until the camhas been depressed against the action of the spring; but I prefer to usea latch-lever 14; and a footpiece 1.5, acted upon by the spi-ing 16, soas to .hold the gate when closed with great reliability.

I claim as my invention-` 1. The combination, with a movable car stepand a swinging gate, of a connection between the swinging gate and thecar-step for raising the step when the gate is closed, and aholdinglatch acting independently of the gate, whereby the step can beheld in position when closed by hand when the ygate is open,substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the stationary car-steps and the swinging gate,of an arm connected with the axis of the gate, a movable step and theside pieces for the saine, and a connection between the arm upon thegate-axis and the movable step, and pulleys around which such connectionpasses, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with the car-platform and stationary steps, of amovable step, side pieces for the movable step, stationary guidesthrough which the side pieces pass, a crossshaft, arms and connectionsto the side pieces of the movable step, a swinging gate and an arm movedby the saine, and connections from the said arm to the movable step forraising and lowering the same by swinging the gate, substantially as setforth.

4. The combination, with the stationary car-steps, of a movable step,sideY pieces connected with the movable step and stationary guidesthrough which the side pieces pass, latches for holding the movable stepin its elevated position, a swinging gate, and a cam and connections tothe latches, whereby the latches are withdrawn for dropping the step asthe gate is opened, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the stationary car-steps and the swinging gate,of a movable car-step, latches for holding the step in an elevatedposition, a connection between the swinging gate and the movable stepfor raising and lowering t-he same, and a connection to the latches forunlatching the step as the gate is opened, substantially as set forth.

G. The combination, with the swinging gate and the stationary step, ofthe movable step G, the side bars therewith connected and the stationaryguides for such side bars, and a rope or its equivalent connected withthe gate and step, respectively, and the pulleys for the same fordrawing up the step as the gate is closed, substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 19th day of December,

H. C. FARQUHARSON. Witnesses: t

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, CHA s. H. SMITH.

